“I’m not Lauren. You’ve got the wrong person, ma’am!” Marjorie runs into a woman resembling her late son’s wife. She visits her son’s grave at the cemetery, but things get more complicated when she stumbles upon her daughter-in-law’s tomb nearby. Marjorie meets her son’s best friend, Liam, for answers. But when he acts suspiciously, Marjorie devises a plan to unravel the mystery.
“My precious boy… I’m finally coming to see you, sweetheart,” 60-year-old Marjorie tearfully whispered, clutching her late son Calvin’s framed photo to her heart.
Robbed of her only child’s presence, Marjorie’s every moment was haunted by memories of her beloved son, who had died in a tragic accident a year ago.
Bearing the weight of grief no words could express, Marjorie prepared to disembark at the metro station in the new city. The bereaved mother had traveled hundreds of miles alone to visit her son’s grave that day.
Calvin was only 27 when fate took him, leaving Marjorie in an endless abyss of sorrow. After his death, her world darkened, and her health began to falter.
She was rushed to the hospital for intensive treatment and therapy. After 12 agonizing months in the clinic, Marjorie arrived in the city where Calvin had lived, died, and was laid to rest.
Wiping away tears, Marjorie stepped off the subway onto the platform. A small flower kiosk nestled within the bustling station caught her eye.
Deciding to get flowers for Calvin’s grave, Marjorie approached the stall and picked a bouquet of white lilies.
“Thanks, dear! Keep the change!” Marjorie smiled as she took the flowers.
As she headed to the exit, a familiar face emerged from the crowd, stopping her in her tracks. It was a young woman who looked strikingly like her widowed daughter-in-law, Lauren, whom Marjorie planned to meet after the cemetery visit.
Marjorie looked closely, certain it was Lauren, heading somewhere from the station. She hurried after her to surprise her.
“Lauren! Lauren, dear… wait… it’s me, Marjorie!” Marjorie walked as fast as she could, waving. “Lauren? Hold on!” She tapped the woman’s shoulder, panting.
The young lady turned with a start. “Lauren? I’m not Lauren. You’ve got the wrong person, ma’am!” She brusquely dismissed Marjorie, shaking off her hand.
“You’re not Lauren? But how? You look just like my son’s wife,” Marjorie said, disheartened.
“Enough, ma’am. I’m not Lauren. I have to go…” the woman snapped, turning and vanishing into the crowd before Marjorie could process it.
That’s odd, Marjorie thought. My eyes can’t be wrong. She’s Lauren! Same eyes… same hair… same voice.
“Hey, wait! Lauren! We need to talk…”
But the woman was gone, lost in the crowd. With a heavy sigh, Marjorie reached the taxi stand outside and hailed a cab to the cemetery.
“Does she hate me that much?” Marjorie wondered, settling in the backseat. “Why is Lauren avoiding me… pretending not to know me? What did I do?” The encounter haunted her throughout the ride.
“Ma’am, we’re here,” the cabbie said, pulling up at the cemetery gate, snapping Marjorie from her thoughts.
She stepped out, eyes fixed on the gate. “Please wait here… I won’t be long.” With a pained sigh, Marjorie entered the graveyard, flowers in hand.
The silence was eerie as she walked past rows of graves, searching for Calvin’s resting place. Emotions overwhelmed her as she knelt by his grave with the lilies.
“My baby… Oh, Calvin. Mama’s here… I’ve come to see you…” Marjorie sobbed, brushing trembling hands on Calvin’s tombstone. Suddenly, her gaze shifted to a grave beside his, and disbelief gripped her.
The epitaph on the headstone stunned her:
“In Loving Memory of
Lauren T.
January 8, 1995 – December 3, 2020
Forever cherished, Forever missed.
Rest in peace.”
“Oh my God… Lauren… my Calvin’s wife… passed away a week ago? Why wasn’t I told?” Marjorie gasped, reeling.
A haunting question hit her: “If Lauren is dead, who was the woman at the subway?”
Marjorie’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of raking leaves nearby. It was the groundskeeper. Hoping for answers, she approached him.
“Excuse me,” Marjorie said, hurrying toward the man, who paused and looked up. “Do you know anything about the funeral of the woman buried there?” She pointed to Lauren’s grave.
The man raised an eyebrow. “The new grave beside the one with the big cross?”
“Yes, that’s it… do you know how she died? Anything about the funeral?”
Lighting a cigarette, the man exhaled a puff of smoke. “Yeah, I know that one… the funeral was last week. It was odd.”
“Odd?” Marjorie frowned.
“Yeah. Hardly anyone showed up. Just the funeral service workers. They brought the coffin, buried it, and left after setting a plain headstone. Not really a proper funeral.”
“That’s strange…” Marjorie muttered. “Did anyone visit her grave since?”
“No, ma’am… not that I’ve seen,” he replied. “I’m here all day. My shack’s nearby. I watch the cemetery. No one’s visited that grave.”
“Thanks,” Marjorie said, turning away, her mind spinning.
Determined to uncover what happened to her daughter-in-law, Marjorie decided to visit Liam, Calvin’s best friend and business partner, who lived in the city. After lingering at Calvin’s grave, she headed to Liam’s house in the waiting taxi.
“Coming… one sec!” a faint voice called after Marjorie rang the doorbell. She stood anxiously on Liam’s doorstep, recognizing his voice.
The door opened, and Liam froze, shocked to see his best friend’s mother smiling at him.
“Mrs. Pierce??” Liam gasped.
Marjorie nodded with a warm smile. “Hello, dear! How are you? I just arrived in the city this morning… visited Calvin’s grave. And thought I’d pay you a surprise visit!”
“I’m good… uh… please come in,” Liam stepped aside, swinging the door open and gesturing for Marjorie to enter. For some reason, Liam seemed nervous and overly surprised, and Marjorie sensed his unease.
Inside, she noticed luggage in the living room. A half-packed suitcase sat there, and she turned to Liam.
“Mrs. Pierce! I’m so glad you came,” he said. “I was just packing.”
“Packing? You’re going somewhere?” Marjorie asked.
“Uh, yeah… I’m moving out of state, Mrs. Pierce. It’s been a rough year since Calvin passed,” Liam said, a strange mix of disappointment and worry on his face.
“The company’s bankrupt… I have nothing left here. So I decided to sell this house and move far away from all this mess.”
“Bankrupt? What do you mean, Liam?” Marjorie raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on? And I saw Lauren’s tomb beside Calvin’s grave. I had no idea she’d passed away. Nobody told me. You could’ve called, right? That’s why I’m here. Tell me… what happened to my daughter-in-law? How did she die?”
“Well, you know…” Liam spoke, his tone heavy with disappointment. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Pierce. I can’t handle this business anymore. The company’s downfall and Lauren’s death are connected.”
“I don’t understand…” Marjorie said, dreading his answer.
“Look, Mrs. Pierce, I didn’t want to upset you. After Calvin’s passing, you were so heartbroken. Then I heard you’d be in the hospital for a year. I didn’t tell you anything. I was afraid it might worsen your condition if you learned about the company’s financial crisis and what Lauren did,” Liam said, deepening Marjorie’s unease.
“What is it, Liam? Please, tell me. What did she do? I want to know everything.”
Liam took a deep breath. “After Calvin’s death, the company passed to Lauren. She declined to manage it, saying she knew nothing about the business. So, by mutual agreement, I took over because I was already Calvin’s partner.”
“To be honest, the company hit rock bottom after he died. We were on the verge of bankruptcy. That’s when Lauren stepped in. She suggested finding investors and taking loans to revive the company,” Liam explained.
“But you said Lauren wanted no part in the business,” Marjorie said, suspicious.
“I know, Mrs. Pierce. But we were desperate. We wanted to save the company. So we agreed to her idea. But a week ago, everything collapsed. Lauren withdrew five million dollars and fled town. It was the loan money. The police started looking for her.”
Marjorie gasped. “Oh my God! Lauren stole the loan money?”
She was furious with her daughter-in-law. It was hard to accept that Calvin’s wife had destroyed his life’s work.
“I know, Mrs. Pierce. We never expected her to betray us like that. But she paid the price,” Liam added.
“What do you mean?” Marjorie grew anxious.
Pouring coffee into Marjorie’s cup, Liam revealed the tragedy that shook the city a week ago. “The police found a burnt car crashed off a cliff near the woods. It was Lauren’s car. They said she died in a tragic accident on the spot.”
“What? Oh my God…” Marjorie gasped.
“The car burned after the crash. The police recovered a charred body with Lauren’s gold pendant, engraved with an ‘L.’ There were burnt remains of hundred-dollar bills. The rest of the money was gone… the case was closed as an accidental death.”
“Jesus… Lauren ruined everything. But wait… what about Calvin’s work? It doesn’t make sense that the company would collapse after he died. I know how hard he worked. There had to be a way to save it.”
“I understand your frustration, Mrs. Pierce,” Liam said. “Calvin’s contributions were invaluable. But things spiraled out of control. And what Lauren did, she paid a heavy price for. Her funeral was held with dignity. Many guests attended. Even her friends. Everyone grieved her tragic death… despite what she did.”
“Lauren’s funeral?” Marjorie’s suspicion grew. She recalled the groundskeeper saying no one attended Lauren’s funeral. Liam’s anxiety and sudden decision to leave the city fueled her doubts.
“When’s your flight, Liam?” Marjorie asked, breaking his silence.
“Early tomorrow morning… 6 a.m.,” he replied.
Marjorie nodded, a plan forming. “Mind if I stay here tonight? I’m not familiar with this city… a bit wary of a hotel alone.”
Liam hesitated, meeting Marjorie’s gaze. “Uh, sure, Mrs. Pierce! That’s the guest room… make yourself at home,” he said.
“Alright! I’m exhausted, dear. I’ll call it a night. Goodnight, Liam! See you in the morning,” Marjorie said, heading to the room.
She turned off the guest room lights but didn’t sleep. She waited anxiously for Liam’s room to go dark, ready to search for clues to connect the dots.
Later, she crept into Liam’s room and found him asleep. With a heavy sigh, Marjorie went to the living room, where his luggage sat.
She rummaged through his belongings, hands trembling with fear and anticipation. What if Liam was pretending to sleep? What if he caught her? But she was determined to uncover the truth.
At midnight, her search turned into a nightmare. In a hidden compartment, she found two fake passports.
“Anna? Really? Who are you fooling, Lauren?” Marjorie was stunned to see Lauren’s photo under a different name. Her shock grew when she saw the second passport.
“Mark?” Marjorie’s face twisted as it revealed Liam’s photo under another name.
“Fake passports? What’s going on? Are they involved in something bigger?” She found two plane tickets to London booked under the fake names.
A chill ran through her. Liam and Anna—actually Lauren—were up to something sinister. She had to act.
She carefully replaced the luggage and hurried to a nearby pharmacy.
“Excuse me… can I get some sleeping pills?” Marjorie asked, returning to Liam’s house with the tablets.
At 5 a.m., when Liam came downstairs to prepare for the airport, Marjorie was in the kitchen.
“Good morning, Liam! I made breakfast for you. Sit and eat before your trip!” Marjorie said with a warm smile.
“Thanks, Mrs. Pierce. That’s kind of you…” Liam sat, while Marjorie hid her nervousness.
“Here’s your orange juice!” She set a glass on the table.
“Ah… I needed this. My head’s been pounding since last night,” Liam said, taking a sip. “Tastes good…”
Ten minutes later, he yawned. “Weird… I feel dizzy all of a sudden,” he said, as Marjorie grinned subtly.
She had spiked his juice with sleeping pills, knowing it was the only way to expose the truth.
“Are you okay, Liam? Maybe lie down for a bit,” Marjorie suggested.
Struggling to keep his eyes open, Liam agreed. Ten minutes later, he was unconscious on the couch, as Marjorie had planned.
She paced, muttering, “What’s taking her so long? It’s 5:30.” She knew Lauren couldn’t fly without her passport and ticket.
Checking Liam’s phone on the table, she waited for Lauren to call or text. Then another phone rang—from Liam’s backpack.
It rang repeatedly, the name “Anna” flashing. Marjorie didn’t answer. A message appeared:
“How could you oversleep, idiot?
Have you forgotten our flight to London?
I’m taking a taxi to your house now.”
“Come… I’m waiting, Lauren!” Marjorie muttered, hiding behind the front door.
Thirty minutes later, a taxi pulled up. Marjorie called the police.
“Hello… I’m reporting a robbery…” She gave Liam’s address and details.
“Help is on the way, ma’am,” the dispatcher said.
The door creaked open, and Lauren stepped in. Marjorie’s heart raced seeing her daughter-in-law, very much alive.
“Liam! Are you serious? It’s not time to sleep. We’re late. Get up!” Lauren snapped at the unconscious Liam. Then a voice startled her.
“LOOKING FOR SOMEONE, LAUREN?” Marjorie said, striking Lauren’s head with a vase as she turned.
Lauren collapsed, unconscious. Police sirens wailed outside, and Marjorie rushed to meet them.
“Thank God, Officer! Thanks for coming,” Marjorie said to the sheriff.
“Someone reported a burglary here,” the cop said.
“That’s me. Come see this…” Marjorie hurried inside, retrieving the fake passports and tickets from Liam’s bag.
“Fake passports? We thought she died in a crash last week…” The officer turned to Marjorie. “And you are?”
“Her mother-in-law… she’s my late son’s wife,” Marjorie said, voice heavy.
Liam and Lauren were taken to the hospital, then to the police station for interrogation.
“Liam, you can’t hide anymore. We have evidence. Where’s the $5 million?” the detective asked.
Liam stonewalled. “I don’t know anything,” he insisted. But Lauren, learning her sentence could be reduced, confessed.
“We bribed a morgue worker and stole a homeless woman’s body. We placed it in my car with my gold pendant, engraved with an ‘L,’ poured gasoline, and set it on fire. We rammed the car off a cliff to fake an accident.”
“And the money?” the detective pressed.
“The five million is in our new accounts… we thought we’d covered everything—passports, accounts, the flight… Liam and I thought we’d get away. But…” Lauren broke down, head in her cuffed hands.
